Roof gutter system with removable cover

ABSTRACT

The present application relates generally to a roof gutter system, and in particular, to a roof gutter system with a removable cover for allowing rainwater and preventing material from flowing into a gutter. The gutter system comprises a hanger adapted to be secured to a sidewall of a building underneath an eave of a roof, and a cover that can be attached and removed from said hanger.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional application that claims priorityto and the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/264,462, filed onNov. 25, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a roof gutter system, and inparticular to a roof gutter system with a removable cover for preventingdebris from collecting within a gutter while allowing rainwater to flowinto the gutter.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many types of roof gutter systems, and even some with covers to allowrainwater to flow into a gutter and prevent debris from collectingtherewithin, are known in the art. However, it is difficult to design aroof gutter system with a cover that provides ease of cleaning andreplacement.

SUMMARY

One embodiment provides a gutter system comprising a hanger adapted tobe secured with respect to a sidewall of a building underneath an eaveof a roof, the hanger having a front portion and a rear portion. Whenthe hanger is secured with respect to the sidewall, the front portionextends frontward from the building sidewall. The front portion isconfigured to support a front wall of a gutter positioned underneath theeave and has a front flange extending upwardly from the front portion.The rear portion of the hanger extends upwardly from the front portion,and has a rear flange extending downwardly from the rear portion. Thegutter system further comprises an elongated cover having an upper rearedge and a lower front edge. The cover has an attached position in whichthe rear edge of the cover is positioned rearward of the rear flange ofthe hanger and in which the front edge of the cover is positionedrearward of the front flange of the hanger. In said attached position,the cover is substantially fixed with respect to the hanger and isconfigured to extend above and along the gutter, to substantiallyprevent the collection of debris within the gutter. The cover hassufficient flexibility to permit a user to bend the rear edge and thefront edge toward one another to remove the cover from the hanger, or tobring the cover to said attached position by positioning the rear edgeof the cover rearward of the rear flange of the hanger andsimultaneously positioning the front edge of the cover rearward of thefront flange of the hanger.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achievedover the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention havebeen described above and as further described below. Of course, it is tobe understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may beachieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention.Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that theinvention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves oroptimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein withoutnecessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of theinvention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the presentinvention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe following detailed description of the preferred embodiments havingreference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited toany particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will be readily apparent fromthe following description and from the appended drawings (notnecessarily to scale), which are meant to illustrate and not to limitthe invention, and in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are an isometric and side cross-sectional view,respectively, of an embodiment of a gutter system.

FIG. 1C is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a guttersystem installed on a sidewall of a building underneath an eave of aroof.

FIGS. 2A-C are a side, rear, and top view, respectively, of anembodiment of a hanger for a gutter system.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a cover for a gutter system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Many gutter systems with various structures for directing rainwater awayfrom a roof of a house or other building structure are known in the art.However, many conventional gutter systems include a gutter with an openside, which can become clogged by leaves or other debris. Gutter systemshave been designed with covers, such as screens, to reduce clogging, butthese designs can also clog over time. A clogged gutter system preventsa gutter from draining properly, causing overflow, erosion, andpotentially damaging the building or home to which the gutter system isattached.

So-called “reverse-curve” gutter cover systems have been designed thatallow debris to pass over the gutter, while allowing rainwater to flowfrom the roof into the gutter. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,998discloses a gutter system constructed from a single piece of flat sheetmaterial. However, even reverse-curve gutter systems will eventuallyclog over time. Additionally, conventional reverse-curve gutter systemsare difficult to clean and require replacement of the entire guttersystem when a clog occurs.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a simple, effectivereverse-curve gutter cover system that allows rainwater to flow into agutter, while preventing material from doing the same. Some embodimentsprovide a cover that can be easily removed and/or replaced.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an isometric and side cross-sectional view,respectively, of an embodiment of a gutter system 10 comprising a hanger20 and a cover 30, adapted to be used with a gutter 40. Gutter system 10can be configured proximate to a structure, such as a building, with anextended surface, such as a roof FIG. 1C is a side cross-sectional viewof an embodiment of gutter system 10 installed on a sidewall 50 of abuilding 60 underneath an eave 70 of a roof 80. Gutter system 10 canextend longitudinally, along and below the roof 80, to allow rainwaterto flow from the roof 80 and into the gutter 40. Gutter 40 can beinstalled with a slight downward slope, to allow it to receive rainwaterfrom the roof 80 and direct rainwater toward one or more downspouts (notshown), as is known.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C, gutter 40 can comprise any of a variety ofdifferent materials, such as plastic or metal. Gutter 40 can comprisemore than one material, such as a composite, or a metal coated withrubber or plastic. Gutter 40 can comprise a material that has beenthermally, chemically or mechanically treated to provide increaseddurability, flexibility, and/or chemical resistance of gutter 40. In apreferred embodiment, gutter 40 can comprise a material that is weatherand/or sun resistant. Gutter 40 can be formed using a variety ofmethods, such as an extrusion and/or molding process, or from bending aflat material to a desired shape and/or profile.

Gutter 40 can have a variety of shapes, and can comprise a front wall41, a rear wall 42, and a base 43 that form a channel 46 for receivingand channeling rainwater. Referring to FIG. 1C, rear wall 42 can beconfigured to attach to and extend longitudinally along a sidewall 50 ofbuilding 60 underneath an eave 70 of a roof 80 to allow rainwater toflow into channel 46 from the roof 80. Gutter 40 can be attached to thebuilding 60 with hanger 20, as discussed below.

FIGS. 2A-C illustrate a side, rear, and top schematic view, respectivelyof an embodiment of a hanger 20. Hanger 20 can be adapted to be securedwith respect to a sidewall 50 of a building 60 underneath an eave 70 ofa roof 80, to support the front wall 41 of gutter 40 (FIG. 1C). In anembodiment, a plurality of hangers 20 can be spaced along thelongitudinal length of gutter 40 to support the front wall 41 of gutter40.

Hanger 20 can comprise any of the materials described above for gutter40, and can comprise the same or different materials relative to gutter40. Hanger 20 can comprise any material with sufficient rigidity andstrength to support the front wall 41 of gutter 40 when gutter system 10is installed. Hanger 20 can comprise, for example, sheet metal, rods, orspring steel. Hanger 20 can be perforated, or non perforated material.

Hanger 20 can comprise a front portion 21 connected to a rear portion22, such that rear portion 22 extends upwardly from front portion 21.Front portion 21 and rear portion 22 can comprise any of the materialsdescribed above for hanger 20, and can comprise the same or differentmaterials relative to each other.

Alternatively, the portions 21 and 22 can be formed separately, andpossibly connected together. Front portion 21 can be connected to rearportion 22 in many different ways, such as with welding, brazing, or canbe configured to be mechanically fastened to each other, such as withfasteners, or with clamps or tabs (not shown). Front portion 21 and rearportion 22 can be removable from each other, such as by removing clampsor fasteners, to allow replacement of either front portion 21 or rearportion 22. In some embodiments, front portion 21 and/or rear portion 22can be exchanged with a replacement of different sizes or physicalproperties.

In a preferred embodiment, front portion 21 and rear portion 22 comprisea single, integrally formed piece. The front portion 21 and rear portion22 can be oriented at any of many different angles relative to eachother, based on the slope of the sidewall 50 (FIG. 1C) to which guttersystem 10 is mounted. In a preferred embodiment, front portion 21 andrear portion 22 are approximately orthogonal relative to each other.

Front portion 21 and rear portion 22 can comprise any of a variety ofshapes and sizes. In a preferred embodiment, rear portion 22 comprises ashape that conforms to the shape of sidewall 50 (FIG. 1C), and istypically flat. Each of front portion 21 and rear portion 22 cancomprise substantially the same size and/or shape relative to eachother, or can comprise substantially different sizes and/or shapesrelative to each other. Front portion 21 and/or rear portion 22 cancomprise, for example and without limitation, a cylindrical, elliptical,or rectangular rod.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, front portion 21 can comprise a substantiallyelongated strip of material, such as a substantially rectangular stripof length L1, thickness T1, and width W1. Length L1, thickness T1 andwidth W1 can be selected from various dimensions. Length L1, thicknessT1 and width W1 are generally selected so that hanger 20 can support thefront wall 41 of gutter 40. In a preferred embodiment, L1, T1 and W1 areselected so that hanger 20 is compatible with a standard-sized gutter40, such as a 5 inch gutter known in the art.

Hanger 20 can comprise a mounting flange 23 extending upwardly from thefront portion 21. Mounting flange 23 can comprise any of the materialsdescribed above for front portion 21. In a preferred embodiment,mounting flange 23 and front portion 21 can be a single integratedpiece. In a further preferred embodiment, mounting flange 23 can beformed by cutting or punching through front portion 21 along an edge 23b, and bending mounting flange 23 along an edge 23 c, and upwardly fromfront portion 21. Mounting flange 23 can alternatively comprise aseparate piece that is connected to front portion 21, using any of themethods described above for connecting front portion 21 to rear portion22. Mounting flange 23 can comprise any of many different shapes, suchas a semicircle, rectangle, or triangular shape. In a preferredembodiment, mounting flange 23 comprises a roughly rectangular shapewith a curved end. Mounting flange 23 can comprise an opening 23 d toreceive a fastener, such as a nail, for mounting hanger 20 to a buildingsidewall 50. Mounting flange 23 can be positioned anywhere along thelength of front portion 21. In a preferred embodiment, mounting flange23 can be spaced between rear portion 22 and a front flange 24, as willbe discussed presently.

Hanger 20 can comprise a front flange 24 extending upwardly andpreferably rearwardly from the front portion 21. In a preferredembodiment, front flange 24 and front portion 21 can be a singleintegrated piece. In a further preferred embodiment, front flange 24 canbe formed by cutting or punching through front portion 21 along an edge24 b, and bending front flange 24 along an edge 24 c, and upwardly fromfront portion 21. Front flange 24 can alternatively comprise a separatepiece that is connected to front portion 21, using any of the methodsdescribed above for connecting front portion 21 to rear portion 22.Front flange can comprise any of the shapes described herein formounting flange 23, and can comprise the same or a different shape asmounting flange 23. Front flange 24 can be positioned anywhere along thelength of front portion 21, such as near the end 21 a of front portion21. In a preferred embodiment, front flange 24 is positioned between end21 a and mounting flange 23.

In a preferred embodiment, front portion 21 can comprise anoutwardly-extending lip 25 at end 21 a. Lip 25 can be sized and shapedto be received by a corresponding inwardly-extending lip 47 on the frontwall 41 of gutter 40 (FIGS. 1A-1B), so that hanger 20 providesadditional support to gutter 40.

Referring to FIGS. 1, and 2A-2C, rear portion 22 can comprise arectangular strip of length L2, thickness T2, and width W2. Length L2,thickness T2 and width W2 can be selected from various dimensions.Length L2, thickness T2 and width W2 are generally selected so that rearportion 22 has sufficient strength to be used with front portion 21 suchthat hanger 20 can support the front wall 41 of gutter 40.

Hanger 20 can comprise a rear flange 26 extending downwardly andpreferably forward from the rear portion 22. Rear flange 26 can bepositioned along the length of rear portion 22, and in a preferredembodiment, is positioned near the end 22 a of rear portion 22. In afurther preferred embodiment, rear flange 26 is positioned at the end 22a of rear portion 22. In a preferred embodiment, rear flange 26 and rearportion 22 are a single integrated piece. In a further preferredembodiment, rear flange 26 is formed by bending the end 22 a of rearportion 22 downwardly. Rear flange 26 can alternatively comprise aseparate piece that is connected to rear portion 22, using any of themethods described above for connecting front portion 21 to rear portion22. In an embodiment, rear flange 26 can be formed by cutting orpunching through rear portion 22, and bending rear flange 26, asdescribed above for flanges 23 and 24.

Rear portion 22 can comprise an opening 27 extending through itsthickness T2. Opening 27 can be sized and shaped to allow a fastener 47(FIG. 1B), such as a nail or screw, to pass through rear portion 22, forattaching hanger 20 and gutter 40 to a building sidewall 50 (FIG. 1C).In some embodiments, rear portion 22 comprises a lower portion 28 thatoverlaps with an upper portion 42 a of the rear wall 42 of gutter 40during installation of gutter system 10 (FIG. 1B).

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of cover 30. Cover 30can comprise any of the materials described above for hanger 20 and/orgutter 40, and can comprise the same or different materials relative tohanger 20 and/or gutter 40. In a preferred embodiment, cover 30 isnon-perforated, so that water cannot flow through the thickness of thecover. However, cover 30 could be perforated if desired. Cover 30 cancomprise any of a variety of different materials that are sufficientlyrigid to allow it to be held substantially fixed with respect to hanger20, and sufficiently flexible to permit cover 30 to be bent and removedfrom hanger 20, as described further herein. In a preferred embodiment,cover 30 comprises an outer surface 30 a comprising a material withsufficient surface tension such that rainwater, will flow on its outersurface and into gutter 40, as described below.

Cover 30 can comprise any of many different shapes, and can be formedfrom many different processes, such as extrusion and/or molding of amaterial, or bending of a sheet material. In a preferred embodiment,cover 30 comprises an elongated shape that extends along and above atleast a portion of gutter 40. In this way, cover 30 can substantiallyprevent the collection of debris, such as leaves, twigs, and the like,within the gutter. Cover 30 can comprise an upper portion 31, anintermediate portion 35, and a lower portion 32. Upper portion 31,intermediate portion 35, and lower portion 32 can comprise differentpieces, although in the exemplary illustrated embodiment they comprise asingle integrated piece. Upper portion 31, lower portion 32, andintermediate portion 35 can comprise any of many different shapes. Insome embodiments, upper portion 31, lower portion 32, and/orintermediate portion 35 are substantially curved, and/or includesections thereof that are substantially curved. In other embodiments,upper portion 31, lower portion 32, and/or intermediate portion 35 aresubstantially straight, and/or include sections thereof that aresubstantially straight. In an embodiment, an outwardly facing surface ofupper portion 31 faces at least partially upwardly, and an outwardlyfacing surface of lower portion 32 faces at least partially downwardly,wherein downwardly and upwardly are defined relative to the building orstructure onto which the gutter system 10 is to be mounted. In anembodiment, intermediate portion 35 can include an outwardly facingsurface that includes an upper facing section 35 a and a downward facingsection 35 a. In this way, intermediate portion 35 transitions from anupwardly facing direction to a downwardly facing direction, and connectsan upwardly facing outer surface of upper portion 31 with a downwardlyfacing outer surface of lower portion 32. In a preferred embodiment,intermediate portion 35 is curved, to form a substantially arcuate“nose,” or a “reverse curve” section that connects an upwardly facingouter surface of upper portion 31 with a downwardly facing outer surfaceof lower portion 32.

In operation, rainwater flows off of and away from the roof 80 (FIG.1C), and onto the outer surface 30 a of cover 30. The rainwater flowsalong the upper portion 31 of cover 30, away from the roof 80 and thebuilding structure 60, and towards intermediate portion 35. Therainwater flows along the upward facing surface of intermediate portion35, and continues onto the downward facing surface of intermediateportion 35, where surface tension holds the rainwater to the cover 30 asthe rainwater flows downward. The fluid reverses direction, andcontinues towards the sidewall 50 of the building 60, and along thedownward facing surface of lower portion 32. The rainwater continuesthrough a gap or opening 36 between cover 30 and front wall 41 of gutter40, into the channel 46 of gutter 40, and is drained away from thebuilding, as is known in the art. The material of the cover 30, the sizeand extension of intermediate portion 35 (relative to the front wall 41and lip 47 of gutter 40), and the size of opening 36 can be selectedsuch that debris does not flow along the downward facing surface oflower portion 32, and into channel 46, and instead, flows over and awayfrom the outer edge of gutter system 10, without entering channel 46.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3, cover 30 can comprise at least one rearflange 33 and at least one front flange 34 to allow cover 30 to besubstantially fixed to and removed from hanger 20. Rear flange 33 canextend longitudinally along at least a portion (and preferably theentirety) of the upper portion 31 of cover 30. The rear flange 33 canextend along the entire length of the cover 30, or can extend partiallyalong a portion of cover 30. In an embodiment, the at least one rearflange 33 can comprise a plurality of tabs spaced along the rear edge ofupper portion 31. Rear flange 33 can be oriented at an angle relative toupper portion 31. In a preferred embodiment, rear flange 33 is orientedat approximately 100-140 degrees relative to upper portion 31. The atleast one rear flange 33 has a rear edge 33 a.

Front flange 34 can extend longitudinally along at least a portion (andpreferably the entirety) of the lower portion 32 of cover 30. The frontflange 34 can extend along the entire length of the cover 30, or canextend partially along a portion of cover 30. In an embodiment, the atleast one front flange 34 can comprise a plurality of tabs spaced alongthe front edge of lower portion 32. Front flange 34 can be oriented atan angle relative to lower portion 32. In a preferred embodiment, frontflange 34 is oriented at approximately 40-70 degrees relative to lowerportion 32. The at least one front flange 34 has a front edge 34 a. In apreferred embodiment, cover 30 comprises a single sheet of materialextending from the rear edge 33 a to the front edge 34 a.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, cover 30 can have an attached position,such that cover 30 is substantially fixed with respect to hanger 20.Cover 30 is substantially fixed with respect to hanger 20 when rear edge33 a is positioned rearward of the rear flange 26, and front edge 34 ais positioned rearward of front flange 24. In some embodiments, rearflange 33 can be biased against rear flange 26, and front flange 34 canbe biased against front flange 24. As such, cover 30 can have a “snapfit” with hanger 20. Cover 30 can be moved to an attached positioned bybending cover 30 such that rear edge 33 a and front edge 34 a movetowards each other, and moving rear edge 33 a to be positioned rearwardof the rear flange 26, and moving front edge 34 a to be positionedrearward of front flange 24.

Cover 30 can be removed from hanger 20 to a removed position by bendingcover 30 such that rear edge 33 a and front edge 34 a move towards eachother, moving rear edge 33 a to be positioned forward of the rear flange26, moving front edge 34 a to be positioned forward of front flange 24,and moving cover 30 outwardly and away from hanger 20. FIG. 3 shows anembodiment of cover 30 in a removed position from hanger 20.

It will be understood that one or more components of gutter system 10can be provided individually or in combination with other components ofgutter system 10. For example, in some aspects of the invention, only ahanger is provided, for example, the hanger 20 described herein andillustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2A-2C. For example, in some aspects ofthe invention, only a cover is provided, for example, the cover 30described herein and illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C and FIG. 3. For example,in some aspects of the invention, only a gutter is provided, forexample, the gutter 40 described herein and illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certainembodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in theart that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosedembodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of theinvention and obvious modifications thereof. Thus, it is intended thatthe scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not belimited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, butshould be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.

1. A gutter system comprising: a hanger adapted to be secured withrespect to a sidewall of a building underneath an eave of a roof, thehanger having a front portion and a rear portion, wherein, when thehanger is secured with respect to the sidewall: the front portionextends frontward from the building sidewall, the front portion beingconfigured to support a front wall of a gutter positioned underneath theeave, the front portion having a front flange extending upwardly fromthe front portion; and the rear portion extends upwardly from the frontportion, the rear portion having a rear flange extending downwardly fromthe rear portion; and an elongated cover having an upper rear edge and alower front edge, the cover having an attached position in which therear edge of the cover is positioned rearward of the rear flange of thehanger and in which the front edge of the cover is positioned rearwardof the front flange of the hanger, the cover in said attached positionbeing substantially fixed with respect to the hanger, the cover in saidattached position being configured to extend above and along the gutterand to substantially prevent the collection of debris within the gutter,the cover having sufficient flexibility to permit a user to bend therear edge and the front edge toward one another to remove the cover fromthe hanger, or to bring the cover to said attached position bypositioning the rear edge of the cover rearward of the rear flange ofthe hanger and simultaneously positioning the front edge of the coverrearward of the front flange of the hanger.
 2. The gutter system ofclaim 1, wherein the cover comprises a sheet of material extending fromthe rear edge to the front edge.
 3. The gutter system of claim 1,further comprising the gutter.
 4. The gutter system of claim 1, whereinthe front portion further comprises a mounting flange for mounting thehanger to the eave of a roof.
 5. The gutter system of claim 1, whereinthe front portion further comprises a lip configured to be received by alip extending longitudinally within a gutter.
 6. The gutter system ofclaim 1, wherein the cover is non-perforated.
 7. The gutter system ofclaim 1, wherein the front edge and/or the rear edge extend continuouslyalong substantially an entire length of the cover.